Martha Turner Sotheby's agent a force for cancer research

Published 5:24 pm, Thursday, July 24, 2014

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Shown are Susan Whitacre, agent with Martha Turner Sothebyâs International Realty, who is an 'enemy' to prostate, and Tony Masraff, Tony's Prostate Cancer Research Foundation founder who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1999. less

Shown are Susan Whitacre, agent with Martha Turner Sothebyâs International Realty, who is an 'enemy' to prostate, and Tony Masraff, Tony's Prostate Cancer Research Foundation founder who was diagnosed with ... more

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Shown are Susan Whitacre, agent with Martha Turner Sothebyâs International Realty, who is an 'enemy' to prostate, and Tony Masraff, Tony's Prostate Cancer Research Foundation founder who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1999. less

Shown are Susan Whitacre, agent with Martha Turner Sothebyâs International Realty, who is an 'enemy' to prostate, and Tony Masraff, Tony's Prostate Cancer Research Foundation founder who was diagnosed with ... more

Even though prostate cancer is a disease in men, Whitacre wants to change the perception that it isn't a woman's disease as well.

"You would be mistaken to believe that cancer of the prostate affects only men. It also profoundly affects the lives of the women who love them; their mothers, daughters, wives, sisters and friends," she said. "That's why I'm driven to make sure women 'get' prostate cancer - not contract it, but understand its wide-ranging effects."

Whitacre's more than 4,000 hours of volunteer service through TPCR has raised financial support as well as local, national and international awareness of the ground-breaking research and development of the GLIPR1 therapy for the cure of prostate cancer conducted at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

"Generous donors and committed volunteers like Susan make it possible the cure for prostate cancer will be found in my lifetime," said Tony Masraff, the 77-year-old TPCR founder who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1999. "She is a big part of the success we've had in gaining FDA approval for the development of the GLIPR1 therapy for Phase1B testing on the first group of men. Susan deserves our thanks and recognition for being a compassionate ear, a positive supporter and a knowledge base for those facing prostate cancer."

In addition to fundraising and public relations, Whitacre's service for TPCR includes writing feature articles and copy for the organization's website, www.TPCR.org, partnership development and volunteer recruitment.

"As Realtors, we care about our community," said Martha Turner, co-founder and president of MTSIR. "I encourage my agents to be active in charitable pursuits, and I can't think of a more worthy endeavor than TPRC. The good Susan has done through all of her hard work over the last seven years is phenomenal. I'm very proud of her and look forward to more positive news on this important trial to combat this deadly disease that disrupts the lives of so many men - and women."